Boston Scientific Corporation announced the first UK implants of its next-generation heart devices - the COGNIS™ cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillator (CRT-D) and TELIGEN™ implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). These devices represent entirely new platforms to treat heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Both products received CE Mark approval earlier this year.

Physicians in the UK began implanting the COGNIS and TELIGEN devices in July.

"Around 2.6 million people in the UK are living with heart disease," said Mark Harty, UK and Ireland General Manager, Boston Scientific. "When choosing a high-energy device, physicians often must make trade-offs among device size, battery longevity and features. The COGNIS CRT-D and the TELIGEN ICD are designed to eliminate those compromises."

The matchbox sized devices detect irregular heart beats and then try to correct the rhythm with small controlled electric shocks. If this fails then a larger shock will be delivered, which is known as defibrillation.

COGNIS and TELIGEN are among the world's smallest and thinnest high-energy devices. They offer features based on significant engineering advances, including extended battery longevity, self-correcting software and improved programming technology. These devices are built on an entirely new technology platform and are the result of a multi-year research and development effort to provide physicians enhanced clinical options for their patients.

"The new generation ICD and heart failure devices will provide significant improvements in performance and safety," said Dr. Martin Lowe, Consultant Cardiologist at The Heart Hospital, London. "We look forward to offering our patients these advanced treatment options to protect against sudden cardiac death and heart failure."

Mark Harty continued, "The TELIGEN ICD has comprehensive programming options that address the requirements of both physicians and patients. The device offers doctors flexibility for delivering defibrillation to patients and helps ensure that the right therapy is delivered at the appropriate time."

"Both devices are delivering enhanced therapy systems that are the next step up in terms of safety, reliability and improved patient outcomes. This new technology has the potential to make a substantial impact on the way patients with heart failure are monitored and treated."

COGNIS and TELIGEN can be used to treat:
v Cardiac Arrhythmias,
Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Heart Failure
Arrhythmic Genetic Syndromes

Heart disease, by itself, is the UK's biggest killer and the most common cause of premature death in the UK (death before the age of 75).

Current figures from the British Heart Foundation show:

One in five men and one in six women die from heart disease or around 101,000 deaths in the UK each year, which equates to more than 275 deaths every day.

Around 2.6 million people are living with heart disease in the UK.
The Pacemakers and Implantable Defibrillators, UK National Survey 2006 shows that more than 40,000 of the UK's 60 million residents had heart devices implanted in 2006. By comparison, in the United States the same population would have had 100,000 devices implanted.

About Boston Scientific

Boston Scientific is a market leader in minimally invasive technologies whose products are used in a broad range of interventional medical specialties. The Company:

- is the world's largest medical device company dedicated to less-invasive medicine
- employs more than 25,000 employees
- has 26 manufacturing, distribution & technology centers
- is delivering more than 13,000 products in over 45 countries

has invested nearly $6 billion in new technologies over the past five years

- is enrolling tens of thousands of patients in pre- and post-approval clinical studies
- is contributing more than $25 million annually to research, education and local communities

Boston Scientific